Meet Ray Stoller: The Heritage of Lake George's Longtime Maintenance Expert
There's just something special about long-term employees, because of everything they carry with them: decades of knowledge, connections and relationships within the community, and a level of trust that only builds over time. That's Ray Stoller at The Heritage of Lake George.
Ray has been a part of the Heritage team since Diana and Daniel McGurk first took over the property, and in that time he's become far more than a maintenance man. Whether it's a routine fix or an unexpected problem, Ray shows up and gets it handled.
Key Takeaways: Ray has maintained properties in the Lake George area since the 1980s, moving from plumbing contractor to lead maintenance at the Heritage of Lake George after prior work at the former Tahoe Resort. His reputation for troubleshooting has carried him to other village properties by word of mouth, and his decades of hands-on problem-solving make him one of the Heritage's most trusted team members.
From Plumber to the Heritage's Go-To Guy
Ray got his start in the industry back in the 1980s, working as a plumbing contractor after moving to the Lake George area. He worked with a local contractor for several years before landing at what was then the Tahoe Resort in 1996, where he was in charge of maintenance for about 15 years.
From there, he moved to the Heritage (then called Cole Motel) as the maintenance guy, and he's been there ever since, working under several ownership changes along the way.
"I try to keep up with the plumbing and heating part, but the technology has definitely made major improvements since back then," Ray said.
He's keeping up pace with newer equipment and techniques while relying on skills learned the old-fashioned way: by taking things apart and figuring out how they work.
A Village-Wide Reputation
Ray's expertise is not limited to the Heritage. Over the years, he's helped out at other Lake George properties as well, including the Admiral, the Pomeroy Motel, the Sundowner, and Park Lane. And how did he get these gigs? Word of mouth.
"I know the properties pretty well that I maintain, so troubleshooting would definitely be my thing," Ray told us. "His specialty repairs range from routine plumbing to full heating system installs, one of which included a single boiler running more than 20 zones, still one of the projects he's most proud of.
The Strangest Repair He's Ever Seen
Not surprisingly, repairs are not always a straightforward situation, and Ray knows how to roll with the challenges. He recalled one memorable job where a rental property kept backing up for seemingly no reason.
After a lot of digging, the culprit turned out to be a small green army-man toy stuck in pipe transition.
"That turned out to be the problem the whole time, and that was probably the most unique thing I've ever seen," Ray laughed.
Winterizing the Property
Every fall Ray takes on the job of winterizing the Heritage property. This process involves blowing out water lines with a shop vac and air compressor, and adding antifreeze to prevent the pipes from cracking.
After more than 20 years of undertaking this process, Ray has developed a system to keep things running smoothly season after season.
Life Outside The Heritage & Side Jobs
When he's not on call, Ray likes to unwind with a video game or two - Call of Duty is a favorite, and Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4 comes out in October 2026! - and he enjoys relaxing at home after a long day of work.
A Trusted Part of the Team
The Heritage team credits Ray Stoller with being dependable, generous with his time, and genuinely invested in helping people - qualities they say are becoming harder to find.
After all these years, he's less like an employee and more like family.
Planning a Stay in Lake George?
The family-owned Heritage of Lake George is open seasonally from May through October. With a variety of accommodation options from motel rooms to cottages to house rentals, guests can enjoy a heated pool, grills, a fire pit, and a prime Village location.
